RU2710796C1 - Double connector for butt joint of two structural elements - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: furniture.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to double connector for butt joint of two structural elements and to system with such double connector, and is aimed at improvement of connection simplicity of two furniture boards. Double connector includes a guide pin and two expandable couplings directed along guide pin (4) with possibility of displacement. Guide pin on both sides of the middle portion of the finger in each case has a section of the finger narrowed towards the corresponding end of the finger. Two expanding couplings, each of which are made with possibility of shifting from external end position of coupling to middle section of finger up to mounting position, in which both expansion sleeves are fixed against reverse shift. Expanding couplings each have at least one expansion tongue, which in its mounting position is pressed outward by a guide pin. Expanding couplings each have section of bushing, which in outer end position of coupling has non-circular outer perimeter, which due to compression of bushing along long axis of non-circular outer perimeter can be deformed into more round outer perimeter. Bushing section on at least one of those segments of the bushing, which in the unstrained section of the bushing do not protrude beyond the outer perimeter of the deformed section of the bushing, has on inner side locking recess, and in external end position of coupling locking recess with undeformed section of sleeve is fixed on end of finger, and in deformed section of sleeve is no longer fixed or fixed only to a small extent on end of finger.EFFECT: disclosed is a double connector for butt joint of two structural elements.19 cl, 7 dwg

Description

The invention relates to a double coupler for butt connection of two structural elements and to a system with such a double coupler.

For the butt connection of two furniture parts, for example, eccentric connecting fittings are known, in which a screw is screwed into one part of the furniture, and a rotary eccentric is inserted into the hole of the other part of the furniture. Using the tool, the eccentric rotates, and as a result, the screw is tightened until both pieces of furniture are adjacent to each other.

In contrast, the object of the present invention is to provide a connector with which two structural elements, such as two furniture plates, can be secured to each other without the use of a tool. In addition, the connector, regardless of the thickness of the plates, should always be in the middle of the plates.

This problem is solved according to the invention with the help of a double connector for the butt connection of two structural elements, including a guide pin, which on each side of the middle section of the finger in each case has a section of the finger narrowed towards the corresponding end of the finger, and two guided fingers with the ability to bias expandable couplings, which in each case from the external final position of the coupling can be shifted to the middle portion of the finger up to the mounting position, in which both expansion joints are fixed against reverse shear and can abut against each other, wherein expansion joints each have at least one expansion tongue, which is pressed outward by the guide finger in the mounting position.

According to the invention, both expandable couplings are each inserted into the openings of the structural elements, and the shifted expandable tongues are each pressed outward by a guide finger. In the mounting position, the expandable couplings on the one hand, thanks to the expanded expandable tongues, are firmly fixed in the walls of the holes of the structural elements, and on the other hand are protected from reverse shear. The double connector according to the invention can be universally used for joining any two, even different structural elements, for example, in the furniture industry for joining two pieces of furniture or in automotive or medical equipment.

Preferably, both ends of the finger are each made in the form of a finger head, which in the mounting position engages with the corresponding expansion sleeve, fixing it in its shear (compression) direction. Alternatively, both expandable couplings in the mounting position can also be directly locked to each other and therefore protected against reverse shear.

Most preferably, the expandable couplings each have a sleeve portion that, in the outer final position of the sleeve, has a non-circular, in particular oval or elliptical, outer perimeter, which, due to compression of the sleeve portion along the long axis of the non-circular external perimeter, in particular along the major axis of the oval or elliptical external perimeter, can be deformed into a more circular external perimeter, in particular into a round or almost round external perimeter. At least on one of those segments of the sleeve which, when the sleeve section is not deformed, does not protrude outside the outer perimeter of the deformed sleeve section, the sleeve section has a locking recess on the inside, and in the external final position of the coupling, the locking recess is fixed on the end when the sleeve section is undeformed finger, and with a deformed section of the sleeve is no longer fixed or fixed only to a small extent at the end of the finger. If the non-circular external perimeter of the expandable sleeve was forced to be deformed by a hole into a more circular external perimeter, in particular into a round, respectively, almost circular external perimeter, the guide pin is either completely released (unlocked), or a slight fixing can still be easily overcome through small impact . Inadvertent compression is thus prevented (transport safety and protection against mistreatment).

Preferably, the middle portion of the finger has an abutment defining mounting position to which both expansion joints can abut in the mounting position.

Preferably, at least one expandable tongue has on its outer side in each case a transverse outer rib for pressing into the wall of the hole.

In the case of an expandable sleeve with several expandable tongues, it is most preferable that the rear end sides of at least some of the expandable tongues, in particular all expandable tongues of the expandable sleeve, are in each case axially displaced relative to each other so as to be fixed in different axial positions with your finger head and thus align the indentation of the expansion joints, respectively, of the depth limit stop at various depths in the plate material. Depending on how much the expansion joints are pressed in, respectively, the depth limit stops in the structural elements, there may be a gap of up to 2 mm between the expansion joints in the mounting position.

By using a depth limit stop in the form of an edge flange at the front end of the expansion sleeve, the insertion of the expansion sleeve into the opening of the structural member can be limited.

The double connector can either be assembled from separate parts, or made in one piece in the form of a part obtained by injection molding from plastic, with a guide finger made of plastic, or in one piece in the form of a part obtained by injection molding from plastic, with a guide finger in form of embedded parts.

Preferably, the expansion joints are filled with glue, which is then extruded when the expansion joints are sheared.

The invention finally also relates to a system with two structural elements adjacent to each other and with a double connector made as described above, which is inserted into the openings of the structural elements with its expandable couplings, and the expandable couplings are shifted on the guide pin and locked in this mounting position , and wherein the expandable tongues are unpressed in each case outward by a guide finger. Both expandable couplings are either fixed on the guide pin or fixed directly to each other. Preferably, the expandable couplings are displaced in the mounting position to mutual contact.

Further advantages of the invention result from the description, claims and drawings. Similarly, the above and further listed features may be used in each case individually or in arbitrary combinations. The shown and described embodiment should not be construed as an exhaustive list, but rather is exemplary for presenting the invention.

The drawings show:

figa, 1b is a double connector according to the invention with two expandable couplings in each case in their outer end positions on the guide pin in the first side view (figa) and in the cross-sectional view (fig.1b) along the line Ib-Ib the section in figa;

figa, 2b - shown in Fig.1, the double connector on the second side view (Fig.2a) rotated in comparison with Fig.1 in Fig.2a) and in the cross-sectional view (Fig.2b) along the section line IIb-IIb in figa;

figa, 3b - a double connector with its both expandable couplings inserted in the hole in each case in the side view corresponding to figa (figa) and in the cross-sectional view (fig.3b) along the section line IIIb-IIIb in fig. .3a; and

figure 4 is a double connector with its both expanded to mutual contact on the guide pin expansion joints in side view.

Shown in figures 1-4, the double connector 1 is used for butt connection of two adjacent to each other on the plane of the parts 2 of the furniture, which in each case have a receiving hole 3.

The double connector 1 includes a guide pin 4, which on each side of the finger middle section 5 in each case has a finger section 7 narrowed towards the corresponding end 6 of the finger, as well as two expandable couplings 8 that are guided along the guide finger 4, which in each case, from the external final position of the coupling (figa, 2a) can be shifted to the middle section 5 of the finger up to the mounting position (figure 4), in which both expansion clutch 8 can be adjacent to each other and fixed from reverse shear ha. The expandable couplings 8 in each case have several (in this case, for example four) axially expandable tongue 10 couplings located axisymmetrically around the longitudinal axis 9, which are pressed outwardly by the guide pin 4. In both cases, the 6 ends of the finger 6 are made in the form of finger heads .

The guide pin 4 is made in the shown embodiment mirror-symmetric with respect to its middle plane, however, alternatively, it can also be made asymmetric, for example, with two different sections of the finger 7 narrowed in different ways. Both expansion joints 8 are structurally identical in the shown embodiment, however, alternatively they can also be made in different ways.

The expandable couplings 8 in each case have a sleeve portion 11, which at its front facing the other expandable sleeve, in the front end of the sleeve ends with an edge flange 12. From the other, rear end of the sleeve, the expandable tongues 10 extend backward with their free ends of the tongues, the rear end the sides 13 of the four expandable tongues 10 do not end at the same axial heights, but are offset in each case by 0.25 mm relative to each other. On their outer sides, the expandable tongues 10 in each case also have a transverse, claw-like, outer rib 14.

In the external final position of the coupling, the sleeve section 11 has an oval or elliptical external perimeter 15 (FIG. 1b, 2b), which, due to the compression of the sleeve section 11 along the major axis of the elliptical external perimeter, that is, in the direction of the arrows 16, can be deformed into an approximately circular external perimeter 15 '(Fig. 3b). The inner diameter of the sleeve portion 11 deformed into the circular outer perimeter 15 'corresponds to the diameter of the middle portion 5 of the finger.

On both opposite segments of the sleeve 11a, on which the elliptical outer perimeter 15 of the undeformed section 11 of the sleeve extends radially outward beyond the future, approximately round, external perimeter 15 'of the deformed section 11 of the sleeve, that is, on the segments of the sleeve around both major high points of the elliptical external perimeter 15, the section 11 of the sleeve continuously or smoothly tapers back. In the shown embodiment, the undeformed section 11 of the sleeve on its entire outer perimeter continuously, respectively, gradually tapers back.

On both opposite segments of the sleeve 11b, on which the elliptical external perimeter 15 of the undeformed section 11 of the sleeve does not protrude radially outward beyond the future, approximately round, external perimeter 15 'of the deformed section 11 of the sleeve, that is, on the segments of the sleeve around both secondary high points of the elliptical outer perimeter 15, the sleeve portion 11 has, on the inner side, in each case, a locking recess 17 made in the form of an internal groove with a front bevel 18 located in front.

The double connector 1 is assembled, as described below, from its individual parts. Both expandable couplings 8 are put forward with their edge flanges 12 onto the corresponding head 6 of the guide pin 4. In this case, the inner diameter of the sleeve section 11 elastically expands through both entry bevels 18 to the diameter of the finger head 6, while the sleeve section 11 is fixed with its both locking recesses 17 on the finger head 6 (Fig. 2a), and the expansion sleeve 8 is not fixed in this position in the position on the guide pin 4. Due to this fixation of the position, the double connector 1 is protected against unintentional compression both times press couplings 8 (transportation safety). The springy elastic action of the sleeve sections 11 is thus used for fixing at the ends 6 of the finger.

Alternatively, the double connector can also be made in one piece in the form of a part obtained by injection molding of plastic, namely either with a guide pin 4 of plastic, or with a guide pin 4 (for example, of zinc or steel) in the form of a embedded part.

The double connector 1 is inserted with its fixed expansion joints 8 forward in each case into the circular holes 3 of the furniture parts 2, while the expansion joints 8 do not fit their edge flanges 12 to the furniture parts 2. Since the diameter d of the hole is smaller than the major axis of the elliptical outer perimeter 15 of the undeformed portion 11 of the sleeve, when the portion of the sleeve 11 enters the hole 3, the protruding perimeter segments 11a are compressed due to their narrowing in the direction of the arrows 16 to the diameter d of the hole. As a consequence of this, both other perimeter segments 11b are simultaneously unclenched so much that their internal locking recesses 17 are no longer fixed, respectively, are only insignificantly fixed on the finger head 6 (Fig. 3a). Due to the fact that the initially elliptical outer perimeter 15 of the sleeve section 11 is now deformed into a corresponding bore diameter d, an approximately circular outer perimeter 15 ', the lock of the expandable couplings 8 on the guide pin 4 is removed, and both expandable couplings 8 can be moved further (closer). In other words, the guide pin 4 is only if the elliptical outer perimeter 15 of the sleeve portion 11 has been pressed by the hole 3 to the circular outer perimeter 15 ', is released and can expand the expansion tongues 10 (protection against erroneous handling). The minor fixation that is still present after forced deformation can simply be overcome with a small impact.

In conclusion, both parts 2 of the furniture are shifted to mutual contact, as a result of which the guide finger 4 is further moved by its finger heads 6 into the expandable couplings 8. In this case, both expandable couplings 8 are shifted in the direction 19 further to the middle portion 5 of the finger up to its mounting position (figure 4), in which they can be adjacent to each other and in the middle of the finger to the protruding in the radially outward direction of the stop 20 (thrust ring) of the guide pin 4. The stop 20 prevents too far one-sided donning of expandable couplings 8. When shifting (drawing closer together) of expandable couplings 8, expandable tongues 10 are squeezed outward on the narrowed portion of the finger 7, as a result of which the transverse ribs 14 are pressed into the wall of the hole 3. To expand the tongues 10 do not break off during expansion, each expandable tongue 10 has on its outer side, an axially extending reinforcing rib 21.

In the mounting position of FIG. 4, at least one of the four expandable tongues 10 is advanced by its rear end face 13 past the finger head 6 and is supported by it in the corresponding shift direction 19, as a result of which the expandable clutch 8 is fixed against reverse shift. In the mounting position, the edge flanges 12 are fully pressed into the furniture parts 2, so that both furniture parts 2 are adjacent to each other without a gap. Due to the transverse ribs 14 of their expanded expansion tongues 10, both expandable couplings 8 are firmly fixed in the walls of the openings of the furniture parts 2, and on the other hand, thanks to their fixation on the guide pin 4, are fixed to each other, so that both furniture parts 2 are fastened to each other friend. The entire installation of the connection of both parts 2 of the furniture using the double connector 1 is thus carried out completely without the use of tools.

The rear end faces 13 of the expandable tongues 10 are offset in relation to each other in the axial direction in order to align the indentation of the edge flanges 12 to different depths in the plate material. At a 90 ° junction of two furniture pieces 2 made in the form of furniture plates, one hole is located on the surface of one furniture plate and the other on the end side of the second furniture plate. The double connector 1 will be pressed into the end hole, since there is a soft middle layer of chipboard, which can provide only slight resistance. Since it is unknown how deep the double connector 1 is pressed in, an alignment must be created for this, due to four different axial positions of the rear end faces 13. If all of the rear end sides 13 ended at the same axial height, then there would be two cases of mutual fixation: either the connection loosens, since there is too much clearance between the rear end faces 13 and the finger head 6, or the locking position cannot be reached at all if the double connector 1 is too deeply embedded in the soft end edge, and the rear end sides 13 are not engaged due to this with the head 6 of the finger. Depending on how squeezed the expansion joints 8, respectively, the edge flanges 12 in the furniture part 2, in the mounting position there may be a gap of up to 2 mm between the expansion joints 8.

Since the expandable sleeve 8 must be “super-expandable” so that it can lock on the finger head 6, the inner sides of the expandable tongues 10 interacting with the guide finger 4 are not identical, respectively, not axially symmetrical to each other, and so that the expansion force is distributed best way.

Instead of, as in the shown embodiment, locking with a guide pin 4, the expansion joints 8 can alternatively be locked in the mounting position also directly with each other, for example, by means of locking hooks that engage in locking engagement in each case with another expansion sleeve 8 in the mounting position and, as a result, the expansion joints 8 are fixed against being displaced from each other.

Optionally, glue (for example, white glue) can also be added to clean locking and clamping in order to make the joint, which is already not dismountable, even more stable. In this case, the adhesive is not poured into the hole, but before the final installation directly into the corresponding empty spaces of the expansion joints 8. The advantage is the specified position and dosage of the adhesive where it is needed. When shifting (final installation), the glue is then squeezed out. Possible additional bonding becomes all the more important, since the quality of the boards is constantly falling (for reasons of economy). In order to ensure that the adhesive is retained on the double connector 1 without drops, a special low viscosity adhesive can be used. The double connector 1 can therefore be used universally with or without the addition of glue, depending on the application.

The double connector 1 can be used not only, as in the shown embodiment, for connecting two furniture parts 2, but also universally for connecting any two, even different structural elements. In principle, applications in automotive or medical equipment or other industries are also possible.

Claims (24)

1. Double connector (1) for the butt connection of two structural elements (2), including a guide finger (4), which on each side of the middle portion (5) of the finger in each case has a portion (7) of the finger narrowed towards the corresponding end (6) of the finger, and two biasing expandable couplings (8) guided along the guide pin (4), each of which is movable from the outer final position of the coupling to the middle portion (5) of the finger up to the mounting position in which both expandable couplings (8) are fixed from reverse shear, and expandable couplings (8) each have at least one expandable tongue (10), which in the mounting position is pressed outward with a guide pin (4), characterized in that expandable couplings (8) each have a sleeve section (11), which in the external final position of the sleeve has a non-circular external perimeter (15), which, due to compression of the sleeve section (11) along the long axis of the non-circular external perimeter (15), can be deformed into a more circular external perimeter (15 '), and moreover, the section (11) of the sleeve, at least on one of those segments (11b) of the sleeve, which with the undeformed section (11) of the sleeve do not protrude outside the outer perimeter (15 ') of the deformed section (11) of the sleeve, has on the inside retaining recess (17), and in the external final position of the coupling, the retaining recess (17) is fixed at the end (6) of the pin when the sleeve section (11) is undeformed, and when the sleeve is deformed (11), it is no longer fixed or only slightly fixed at the end (6) of the finger. 2. The double connector according to claim 1, characterized in that both expansion joints (8) are adjacent to each other in the mounting position. 3. The double connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that both ends of the finger are each made in the form of a finger head (6), which in the mounting position engages with the corresponding expansion sleeve (8), fixing it in its shift direction (19) . 4. A double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said non-circular external perimeter is oval or elliptical, that said long axis of a non-circular external perimeter (15) is a major axis of an oval or elliptical external perimeter, and that the deformation is more the round outer perimeter (15 ') leads to a round, respectively, almost circular outer perimeter (15'). 5. The double connector according to claim 4, characterized in that the inner diameter of the sleeve section (11) deformed into a round or substantially round outer circumference (15 ') corresponds to the diameter of the middle portion (5) of the finger. 6. Double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the sleeve section (11) of the sleeve, at least on those segments (11a) of the sleeve, which, when the sleeve portion (11) is undeformed, protrudes outside the outer perimeter (15) ') deformed section (11) of the sleeve, tapers back. 7. Double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the middle portion (5) of the finger has a stop (20), to which both expandable couplings (8) can abut in the mounting position. 8. Double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that both expandable couplings (8) are structurally identical. 9. A double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the guide pin (4) is mirror-symmetrical about its middle plane. 10. Double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that in the mounting position, at least one expandable tongue (10) is advanced with its rear end face (13) past the finger head (6) and engaged in it in the corresponding direction (19) of the shift. 11. Double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the said at least one expandable tongue (10) has a transverse outer rib (14) on its outer sides. 12. Double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the expandable couplings (8) each have several, located, in particular axisymmetrically around their longitudinal axis (9) couplings, expandable tongues (10). 13. The double connector according to claim 12, characterized in that the rear end faces (13) of at least some of the expandable tongues (10) of the expandable sleeve (8), in particular all of the expandable tongues (10) of the expandable sleeve (8) each offset in relation to each other in the axial direction. 14. A double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the expansion joints (8) each have at their front end an edge flange (12) that limits the insertion of the expansion sleeve (8) into the hole (3) of the structural member ( 2). 15. Double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the expansion joints (8) are worn on the guide pin (4). 16. The double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the double connector (1) is made in one piece in the form of a part obtained by injection molding from plastic, with a guide pin (4) made of plastic or in one piece in as a part obtained by injection molding from plastic, with a guide pin (4) in the form of a embedded part. 17. A double connector according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the expansion joints (8) are filled with glue. 18. A system with two structural elements adjacent to each other (2) and with a double connector (1) according to any one of claims 1-17, which is inserted into the holes (3) of the structural elements (2) with its expandable couplings (8), moreover the expansion joints (8) are shifted on the guide pin (4) and locked in this mounting position, and the expansion tongues (10) are extruded in each case outward by the guide pin (4). 19. The system according to p. 18, characterized in that the expansion joints (8) are shifted in the mounting position to mutual contact.

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